Transcription

1 A ed Study of Washington State 10th Grade Assessment Scores of Students in Schools Using The Core-Plus Mathematics Program By Reggie Nelson Mathematics Department Chair Burlington-Edison School District Burlington, WA Background The first schools to implement the Core-Plus Mathematics Program () in the state of Washington were in the greater Seattle area. During the school year, five high schools began their implementation process. The number of adopting schools grew steadily throughout the next six years. By the school year, there were 22 high schools in the state that were in at least their second year of using Core-Plus Mathematics. How does the mathematics achievement of students in these 22 high schools compare to that of students in more traditional mathematics programs? The state of Washington administers a required examination in the late spring of the 4th, 7th, and 10th grade years. This examination is commonly referred to as the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) exam. The WASL assessment was designed by Washington teachers and reflects what students should know and be able to do based on the state s Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs). More information can be found online at: The study reported here compares the WASL mathematics pass rate of grade 10 students in the 22 high schools in Washington that were in at least their second year of using Core-Plus Mathematics with those of 22 matched schools using a variety of mathematics curricula. No school was selected as a matching school if it used any of the NSF-funded NCTM Standards-based programs. 1 ing Schools Drawing from the entire set of high schools in the state of Washington, a school was matched to each school as closely as possible on the following variables (all known to be correlates of student mathematics achievement) in the order given: national percentile rank of ninth-grade ITED-Q mean score, percent of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch, percent of underrepresented minority students, 2 and school enrollment. ITED-Q scores from , rather than from a later year, were used in order to have a measure of each school's average mathematical achievement prior to the use of the Core-Plus Mathematics curriculum. 3 The matching resulted in a "match sample" of 22 schools that fit the sample well, both school-by-school and on average as shown in the following table.

2 Mean Mean SD SD Min Min Median Median Max Max ITED-Q F/R Lun % Un. Min % Enrollment 1,287 1, ,412 1,375 2,502 2,109 The samples were also matched to the extent possible on the grade range of students served by the school (i.e., grades 9 12, 10 12, 8 12, or 6 12). See the endnote 4 for more details. The somewhat smaller standard deviations of the match sample are to be expected, since there are fewer potential matches for schools that are at the very high or very low end of the state distribution on each of these variables. For example, the school with maximum enrollment (2,502) is one of the largest schools in the state. There are very few schools with similar enrollments, so the chance that one of them is also similar on the other matching variables is small compared to schools nearer the average enrollment of just under 1,300 students. Comparing WASL Pass Rates Following the matching, the numbers of students completing, and percent passing, each tenth-grade WASL test in each of the 44 schools were entered into our data file. The total numbers of students in each sample of 22 schools completing each tenth-grade WASL test in and the percent of students who passed are given in the next table. As the table shows, the overall passing rate was considerably higher in the sample in Mathematics and Science and slightly higher in Reading and Writing. Mathematics Reading Writing Science N % Pass N % Pass N % Pass N % Pass 7, , , , , , , , Of particular interest in this study are the percents of students passing the WASL Mathematics test in the 22 matched pairs of schools. In the following scatterplot, each point shows the percent of students who passed in the school plotted against the percent of students who passed in the matching school. The line on the plot shows where a point would lie if the matched pair had equal percents of students pass the WASL. Sixteen of the 22 points lie above the line, indicating that the students in these schools passed at a higher rate than the students in the matching schools. 2

3 WASL Math Pass Data, Grade 10, Equivalently, 16 of 22 differences ( match) in percentages of students passing the WASL Mathematics test were positive. These differences ranged from 21.7 to 13.5 with median 4.25 and mean 4.0. Further, the size of these differences is statistically significant. The test of significance, a paired t-test, showed that the mean difference in passing percentages for the schools minus the matched schools is significantly greater than zero (t = 2.41; p =.025). The passing percents on the WASL Science test were higher in the school in 17 of the 22 matched school pairs. Differences ( match) in percent of students passing the WASL Science test ranged from 20.4 to 23.5 with median 3.6 and mean 3.4. Using all 22 matched pairs of schools, the differences in passing percentages in schools and their matches are not statistically significant (t = 1.52; p =.144). However, it is informative to consider that the matched pair in the lower left of the above plot was not an especially good match. The school in that pair is a grade 6 12 school, very unusual in the state of Washington. In order to match this school with another grade 6 12 school, it was necessary to choose a "match" that did not fit as well as the other matched pairs on the three most important matching variables. (The school in the pair was 7 points lower on the ITED-Q, 33.4 percentage points higher on percent of students qualified for free or reduced lunch, and 17.5 percentage points higher on percent of underrepresented minorities.) Perhaps not surprisingly, this matched pair is the one with the minimum difference in percentages passing in both mathematics ( 13.5%) and science ( 23.5%). If this pair is removed from the analyses, the differences in passing percentages significantly favor the schools in the 21 remaining matched school pairs in both mathematics (t = 3.22; p =.004) and science (t = 2.44; p =.024). 3

4 The Low-Income Achievement Gap A continuing issue in education is the achievement gap between students from lowincome families and those from other families. The following table and graph give the numbers of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced lunch) and the percent of those who passed the tenth-grade WASL Mathematics test in each sample. The same data are provided for students of families that are not classified as low income. Low Income Students Other Students N % Pass Math N % Pass Math % Gap 1, , , , P e r c e n t Low Income Others Gap WASL Math Pass Data, Grade 10, The WASL Mathematics pass rate was higher in the sample for both the students from low-income families and for the other students. The gap in the pass rate was slightly less in the sample, but the difference in gaps between the and the match schools does not approach statistical significance. 4

5 Summary of Findings The pass rate on the Tenth-Grade WASL Mathematics test for the 22 Washington high schools that were in at least their second year using the Core-Plus Mathematics curriculum was compared to that of a sample of 22 schools carefully matched on prior mathematics achievement, percent of students from low-income families, percent of underrepresented minorities, and student enrollment. The main findings are the following. The pass rate in mathematics was significantly higher in the schools using the Core-Plus Mathematics program. The higher pass rate in the Core-Plus Mathematics schools was evident for both students from low-income families and those from other families. Although the higher pass rate in mathematics is consistent across income levels, there is no evidence that using the Core-Plus Mathematics curriculum either increases or decreases the "achievement gap." Pass rates on the WASL Science test were also higher in the schools using the Core- Plus Mathematics program (significantly higher when one outlying pair of schools is removed). Data in this report are found on the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) internet site: 1 The match schools used a variety of textbook programs, but none used another NSF-funded, NCTM Standards-based curriculum. Examples of the main textbook series used in match schools are the following: Addison-Wesley Secondary Mathematics Series (Focus on Algebra, Focus on Geometry, etc.), Freeman's Geometry, Glencoe's Mathematics series, McDougall Littell Integrated Mathematics, Key Curriculum "Discovering Algebra" and "Discovering Geometry" books, University of Chicago School Mathematics, and College Preparatory Mathematics. 2 The percent of underrepresented minorities is the sum of the percents of Native Americans, African Americans, and Hispanics. 3 For grades schools, the mean of the national percentile ranks across all junior high or middle schools in the district was used for the ITED-Q. If a school opened after , the earliest available ninth-grade ITED-Q percentile was used. 4 The sample has 14 schools that include grades 9 to 12, four are grades 10 to 12 schools, one includes grades 8 to 12, and one includes grades 6 to 12. Because of the more important need to approximate the other matching variables and the relatively small numbers of schools in the state that serve the last three grade level intervals, it proved to be impossible to get a one-to-one match on grade levels of the schools. In the final analysis, the match sample contains 15 schools that include grades 9 to 12, three grades 10 to 12 schools, one grades 8 to 12 school, and one grades 6 to 12 school. The fact that there is one fewer grades 10 to 12 school in the match sample is a partial explanation for why the number of students taking the tenth-grade WASL tests is slightly smaller in the match sample than in the sample even though total school enrollments in each sample are nearly equal. 5

TECHNICAL REPORT #33: Exploring the Use of Early Numeracy Indicators for Progress Monitoring: 2008-2009 Jeannette Olson and Anne Foegen RIPM Year 6: 2008 2009 Dates of Study: September 2008 May 2009 September

Goal Performance: These columns summarize the students performance in the goal strands tested in this subject. Data will display in these columns only if a student took a Survey w/ Goals test. Goal performance

Transitioning English Language Learners in Massachusetts: An Exploratory Data Review March 2012 i This document was prepared by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell

Allen Elementary School April 4, 216 Dear Parents and Community Members: We are pleased to present you with the (AER), which provides key information on the 214-15 educational progress for the. The AER

A Review of High School Mathematics Programs Introduction In the winter of 2005, a grant was written entitled Making the Transition from High School to College (MaTHSC). The grant began as a collaboration

The Kentucky Department of Education s mission is to prepare all Kentucky students for nextgeneration learning, work and citizenship by engaging schools, districts, families and communities through excellent

The Kentucky Department of Education s mission is to prepare all Kentucky students for nextgeneration learning, work and citizenship by engaging schools, districts, families and communities through excellent

U.S. Department of Education March 2014 Participation and pass rates for college preparatory transition courses in Kentucky Christine Mokher CNA Key findings This study of Kentucky students who take college

Developing the STEM Education Pipeline Developing the STEM Education Pipeline For almost 50 years, ACT has played a pivotal role in promoting student access into and success in science, technology, engineering,

CPM High California Standards Test (CST) Results for 2004-2010 The tables below show a comparison between CPM high schools and all high schools in California based on the percentage of students who scored

EFFICACY STUDY Proven to Increase Learning Outcomes: Results of a Third Party Study on the Impact of Digital Curriculum Apex Learning Comprehensive Courses JANUARY 214 Summary Unclassified 6% School districts

Information Technology Services will be updating the mark sense test scoring hardware and software on Monday, May 18, 2015. We will continue to score all Spring term exams utilizing the current hardware

COLLEGE READINESS Benefits of a High School Curriculum Since the publication of A Nation at Risk, ACT has recommended that students take a core curriculum in high school in order to be prepared for college-level

SAMPLE REPORTS For more information please call us at 800-722-6876 or visit us at www.scantron.com The location report provides Location Controllers and Administrators the ability to immediately see the

A teacher s guide for achieving the best results. STAR Enterprise allows teachers to: Identify which students are reaching benchmark and which need intervention. Print reports with information about grouping

recommendation #4: give college and work readiness assessments in high school College entrance examinations often present a barrier to higher education for high school students. Low-income and minority

Impact of End-of-Course Tests on Accountability Decisions in Mathematics and Science A paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education New Orleans, LA Paula Cunningham

Stability of School Building Accountability Scores and Gains CSE Technical Report 561 Robert L. Linn CRESST/University of Colorado at Boulder Carolyn Haug University of Colorado at Boulder April 2002 Center

College Readiness LINKING STUDY A Study of the Alignment of the RIT Scales of NWEA s MAP Assessments with the College Readiness Benchmarks of EXPLORE, PLAN, and ACT December 2011 (updated January 17, 2012)

Methodology, business rules, and data components used in the implementation of the Washington State Equity Plan, 2015 Table of Contents I Table of Contents 1 II Objective and Overview of 2013 14 school

Student Achievement in Florida s Schools: A Comparison of the Performance of School Students with Public School Students FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Improving K-12 Educational Choice Options Student

The Condition of College & Career Readiness l 2011 ACT is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides assessment, research, information, and program management services in the broad areas

Online Mathematics Curricula Request for Information Responses Report to the Legislature Dr. Terry Bergeson State Superintendent of Public Instruction December 2008 Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

School Performance Framework: Technical Guide Version 1.6 August 2010 This technical guide provides information about the following topics as they related to interpreting the school performance framework

Virginia s College and Career Readiness Initiative In 1995, Virginia began a broad educational reform program that resulted in revised, rigorous content standards, the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL),

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PATTERN OF AND COURSES TAKEN AND TEST SCORES ON FOR HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS Xiaoping Wang, Administrative Consultant Abstract Three years of student-level data were used in this study

Alliance Environmental Science and Technology High Melissa Chew, Principal Principal, Alliance Environmental Science and Technology High About Our School About Our School Environmental Science and Technology

Getting prepared: A 2010 report on recent high school graduates who took developmental/remedial courses Minnesota State Colleges & Universities University of Minnesota State-Level Summary and High School

An experimental study of the effects of Cognitive Tutor Algebra I on student knowledge and attitude Pat Morgan Moore Independent School District Steven Ritter Carnegie Learning May 16, 2002 Citation: Morgan,

Utah Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance Program Evaluation Report John Carey and Karen Harrington Center for School Counseling Outcome Research School of Education University of Massachusetts Amherst

OK PROFILE 1 Oklahoma Profile of State High School Exit Exam Policies 2012 State exit exam policy Beginning with students entering the 9 th grade in the 2008-09 school year, every student will be required

Methodology Research San Ysidro Schools California 20052008 Algebraic Thinking Results for San Ysidro Schools 2005 2008 Implementation: San Ysidro Schools began working with National Training Network to

2013 SAT Report on College & Career readiness EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The College Board s 2013 reveals that fewer than half of all SAT takers in the class of 2013 graduated from high school academically prepared

High Schools That Work in Indiana A Progress Report High Schools That Work is a comprehensive, results-based school-improvement initiative of the Southern Regional Education Board-State Vocational Education

Graduates of UTeach STEM Teacher Preparation Programs Nationwide OCTOBER MAY 2015 2014 Executive Summary Since 2008, 44 universities have followed The University of Texas at Austin and adopted the UTeach

Broadening Access to Algebra I: The Impact on Eighth Graders Taking an Online Course By Jessica Heppen, Ph.D. American Institutes for Research November 2012 www.air.org A brief summarizing Access to Algebra

SOUTH PEKIN SD 37 SOUTH PEKIN, ILLINOIS and federal laws require public school districts to release report cards to the public each year. 2 7 ILLINOIS DISTRICT REPORT CARD STUDENTS RACIAL/ETHNIC BACKGROUND

HB5 Foundation High School Programs Foundation High School Program 22 Credits 4 English Credits: English I, II, III, one advanced English course 3 Math Credits: Algebra I, Geometry, one credit in any authorized

HB 4150: Effects of Essential Learning Skills on High School Graduation Rates Oregon Department of Education December 2014 http://www.ode.state.or.us Effects of Essential Learning Skills on High School

The Bridge: From Research to Practice Achievement of Children Identified with Special Needs in Two-way Spanish/English Immersion Programs Dr. Marjorie L. Myers, Principal, Key School - Escuela Key, Arlington,

Oh, that explains it Michigan Merit Curriculum High School Graduation Requirements Updated October 2007 TESTING-OUT What the Michigan Merit Curriculum Law Says 380.1278(a)(4)(c) A school district or public

Curriculum Map Statistics and Probability Honors (348) Saugus High School Saugus Public Schools 2009-2010 Week 1 Week 2 14.0 Students organize and describe distributions of data by using a number of different

LA PROFILE 1 Louisiana Profile of State High School Exit Exam Policies 2012 State exit exam policy Type of test Students must pass English language arts and mathematics and either science or social studies

New York State Profile Jennifer Guinn EDUC 547 FALL 2008 According to 2006 U.S. Census estimates, with a total population of over 19 million people, 20 percent of New York State s population were foreign-born

Continued Approval of Teacher Preparation Programs in Florida: A Description of Program Performance Measures Curva & Associates Tallahassee, FL Presented to the Florida Department of Education December

www.erdc.wa.gov ERDC Research Brief 2011-01 Longitudinal Studies January 2011 WHO LEAVES TEACHING AND WHERE DO THEY GO? Washington State Teachers The Washington State Education Research & Data Center (ERDC)

Louisiana Special Education Guidance This document outlines how special education policies impact students with disabilities and serves as a reference guide for LEA administrators and high school staff

February 2003 Report No. 03-17 Bright Futures Contributes to Improved College Preparation, Affordability, and Enrollment at a glance Since the Bright Futures program was created in 1997, Florida s high

ALABAMA PROFILE 1 Alabama Profile of State High School Exit Exam Policies State exit exam policy All students must pass all parts of the Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE), 3 rd edition in order

Assessing Quantitative Reasoning in GE (Owens, Ladwig, and Mills) Introduction Many students at CSU, Chico, receive much of their college-level mathematics education from the one MATH course they complete

Readiness Matters The Impact of College Readiness on College Persistence and Degree Completion Steve Kappler AVP Career & College Readiness ACT, Inc. steve.kappler@act.org NACAC Webinar Series February

A Study of the Efficacy of Apex Learning Digital Curriculum Sarasota County Schools November 2015 Copyright 2015 Apex Learning Inc. Apex Learning and the Apex Learning logo are either registered trademarks

NORWIN SCHOOL DISTRICT 105. CURRICULUM PROCEDURES OPTIONS TO ACHIEVING CREDITS The Board recognizes the need to allow students flexibility to accelerate through courses and has established the following

PENNSYLVANIA System of School Assessment (PSSA) Summary Report Dear Leader: This report provides you with information about your district's performance in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science

A WEBCT ENHANCED COURSE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS Laura J. Pyzdrowski West Virginia University Institute for Math Learning, Morgantown, WV 26506 lpyzdrow@wvu.edu Anthony S. Pyzdrowski California University

The SAT/ACT Fact Sheet * What is the SAT? A 3-hour exam that measures two skill areas: verbal and mathematical reasoning. Exam consists of seven sections: three verbal reasoning, three mathematical reasoning,

Title: As related To: Online Learning Policy and High School Credit Goal One: Advocacy for an effective, accountable governance structure for public education Goal Two: Policy leadership for closing the

An Analysis of how Proctoring Exams in Online Mathematics Offerings Affects Student Learning and Course Integrity Introduction Reliable assessment is central to education and educational institutions for

Bangor Central Elementary School 24-25 Melissa Vrable; Principal March 23, 26 Dear Parents and Community Members: We are pleased to present you with the (AER) which provides key information on the 24 5

To ensure the functioning of the site, we use cookies. We share information about your activities on the site with our partners and Google partners: social networks and companies engaged in advertising and web analytics. For more information, see the Privacy Policy and Google Privacy &amp Terms.
Your consent to our cookies if you continue to use this website.